Evolution of the Media

KWAME McCoy, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, during the launch last Sunday of a new print and online news outlet in Region 10 – INFO 10 Media, said at that forum that government will leave no stone unturned in the evolution of the media to ensure the public’s right to information is safeguarded.

Minister McCoy said there is a place for journalism and entrepreneurship in the management of information. This newspaper would add to that position that it is imperative that the commercial aspect is not allowed to influence or compromise accurate and factual information dissemination, as so often happens.

The co-existence of journalism and entrepreneurship, where the almighty dollar is an essential component in sustaining and keeping the viability, even the survival of media outlets is a requisite factor that has to be clearly defined in the respective roles of either, with no blurred lines that would render the impartiality and integrity of media entities suspect in the perception of the public.

Alluding to that event as a significant milestone, the minister opined that the step taken by entrepreneur and award-winning journalist Mrs. Vanessa Braithwaite-Moore adds to the media landscape. “Today we celebrate one such ground-breaking press-freedom event which marks the beginning of a bold entrepreneurial project that seeks to marry the rewarding elements of business with those of journalism.”

According to Minister McCoy, media played a pivotal role during the March 2 General and Regional Elections when journalists worked tirelessly to apprise the world of the aftermath of the polls. He stressed: “We must redouble our efforts to remain actively engaged in the patriotic efforts to safeguard democracy itself and the integrity of the most sacred arm of our governance structure – the fourth estate. We must uphold and defend their freedom to investigate, write, publish and broadcast truths, whatever those truths are and wherever they will lead.”

Guyana ranks 49th of 180 countries listed in the “Data of Press Freedom” in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index. The Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders, based upon the organisation’s own assessment of the countries’ press-freedom records in the previous year. Many of Reporters without Borders’ assessments have been challenged, based on allegations of fraternal alliances with opposing political entities in various countries, leading to charges of prejudicial evaluations that compromise their credibility.

In a statement issued on World Press Freedom Day 2016, UNESCO promulgated the promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a basic human right. UNESCO stated: “UNESCO, in keeping with its constitution, advocates the basic human right of freedom of expression, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and its corollary, press freedom.

Indeed, since its creation in 1945, UNESCO has been called upon to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image,” and the organisation’s member states have repeatedly confirmed this mandate over the years in decisions adopted by the General Conference, the highest authority of the United Nations agency. UNESCO promotes freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a basic human right.

An IPI report dated August 8, 2017 and headlined, “Guyana broadcast bill said to threaten press freedom” stated, inter alia: “IPI urges government to review amendment in consultation with local stakeholders.”
Tabled by former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the amendments include a provision requiring private broadcasters to allocate, free of charge, up to 60 minutes of public service programming daily.

Additionally, the law would require all current broadcast licence holders to reapply within 30 days or lose their right to broadcast.
The changes define a public service broadcast as “the broadcast of a programme produced for the purpose of informing and educating the public and promoting policies and activities of the government that benefit the public as a whole.”

The GPA told IPI, the bill “will disrupt and violate contractual obligations that stations will have with advertisers and programme sponsors,” adding that it “strongly objects to the Guyana government seeking to redefine what constitutes public service programmes.”

Anand Persaud, editor-in-chief of the daily Stabroek News, told IPI that mandating the airing of what the government considers to be public service programming “unconscionably limits the freedom of operation” of private broadcasters, who have to pay broadcasting fees.

“The content of the public service programmes will invariably be political,” he commented. “It is a clear attempt by the government to promote itself.”
Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had dubbed the changes “a threat to press freedom” and said the Coalition would force broadcasters to air their propaganda.

However, it is unlikely, under the new administration; this sinister amendment made by the Coalition will be enforced under Minister McCoy’s watch as guardian of Guyana’s press freedom.

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